We check in with people at each stage of the cash transfer process to see how things are going. Take a look at some of their stories as they appear here in real-time.
Learn more about how recipients opt in to share their stories.

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Enrollment

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My life is currently different from the way it was four months ago in that I was able to pay school fees for my children. This allowed them to go back to school on time. If it wasn't for GD they would have stayed home for a longer period which meant they could have missed several lessons and fail their end term exams. I would have taken longer to raise the fee balance because I am a casual laborer and my daily wages are all spent on the daily expenses. In addition to that, my house currently looks decent and it has a good shape. This is because I was able to purchase decent windows and bought cushions for my seats.

Do you have any new or additional goals for your life for the next four months?

I recently bought new seats although I couldn't have afforded to buy the cushions at the same time. We were then forced to sit on the hard boards. Therefore, for the next four months of my life, I have an additional goal to save the coming transfer so that I can purchase the cushions. This will make it more comfortable and presentable as well.

Describe the biggest difference in your daily life in the last four months preceding the current transfer.

My children were sent back home for school fee. I am glad this happened when Give Directly sent me the first transfers. I was able to pay for the amount immediately and my kids were able to catch up with the lessons they had missed while they were at home. Were it not for Give Directly, they would have stayed back home for a longer period of time. I rely mostly on casual work and raising the school fee wouldn't have been that easy.

How do you expect your life to change in the next six months?

Currently, I do not have livestock but I have always considered them to be important because they usually come in handy in times of emergencies. I have plans to save some of the coming transfers and use it to purchase sheep for rearing. Therefore, in the next six months, I expect to have bought two sheep. I know they will multiply within a very short time and increase in number

16th Payment

Transfer Amount

2280 KES ($22 USD)

access_time 2 months ago

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How is your life currently different from how it was four months ago?

My life is currently different from how it was four months ago because l am now staying in a well ventilated modern house. I am also able to pay school fee for my children with ease as compared to before.

Do you have any new or additional goals for your life for the next four months?

My new goal is to save money and buy steel door and fix it. My house has a wooden door which is very unsecured in that one can knock it and it open it.a

Describe the biggest difference in your daily life in the last four months preceding the current transfer.

The biggest difference in my daily life is that l am now staying in a well ventilated modern house as compared to before when I was staying in a stuffy house without windows. I am also eating a well balanced diet

How do you expect your life to change in the next six months?

In the next six months l expect to have bought steel door and fix it in my house. The house will be well secured that I do not need to worry.

11th Payment

Transfer Amount

2280 KES ($23 USD)

access_time 6 months ago

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How is your life currently different from how it was four months ago?

I have been able to purchase a few critical household items that I never thought I would ever own in my life such a large water storage drums that help me store more water during the rainy season for use during the dry season. During the dry season, the water in the nearby river gets so contaminated that it becomes unfit for human use forcing us to buy clean water at a costly price.

Do you have any new or additional goals for your life for the next four months?

My daughter recently completed her high school and will soon join college. To assist with the fee payment, my daughter and I have been saving our transfers and will continue doing so for the next two months. Thereafter my husband can fully take over.

Describe the biggest difference in your daily life in the last four months preceding the current transfer.

I solely depend on farming which does not pay much. This has always restricted my expenditure and general lifestyle because I had to stick to the basics such as un balanced-meals that I could easily afford. These transfers have supplemented my daily budget and enabled me to offer better meals to my family and buy other household items that otherwise would be impossible due to low income.

How do you expect your life to change in the next six months?

I plan to save some of these transfers once my daughter has joined college so that I can set up a business which will give me an extra source of income especially when this project is over. I have vowed not to depend on my husband again, especially after knowing how good it feels to have your own cash

8th Payment

Transfer Amount

2280 KES ($22 USD)

access_time 10 months ago

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How is your life currently different from how it was four months ago?

My life is currently different from how it was four months ago because l now have my own goat that when l feel like sell when l have emergency l can do it without worrying.

Do you have any new or additional goals for your life for the next four months?

My new goal is to start saving and to build a kitchen for my children to have a place where they can spent their night.

Describe the biggest difference in your daily life in the last four months preceding the current transfer.

The biggest difference in my daily life is that l am now sleeping in a very comfortable place since l spent the transfer to buy mattress, when before l was sleeping on a mart.

How do you expect your life to change in the next six months?

In the next six months l expect to buy for all my children very decent clothes, because since l started receiving money l have never bought them anything.

Initial Payment

Transfer Amount

4560 KES ($45 USD)

access_time over 1 year ago

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Do you have any new goals that you didn't have before receiving the transfer?

Apart from the goals I had earlier, I would want to have a business to boost my income.

How is your life different than it would have been if you never received the transfer?

Since I received this transfer, I do sleep well and comfortably because of the mattress I bought, I no longer keep my clothes in polythene bag like before since I bought suitcase and I have courage that the future will be better. Thanks to Give Directly.

How do you expect your life to change in the next six months?

In the next coming months, I would want to buy seats, sheep and start a business.

Describe the biggest difference in your daily life since you started receiving payments from GiveDirectly.

I used to have sleepless night because I used to sleep on a mat but since I received this transfer, I sleep comfortably and peacefully because I now have a mattress. That's the biggest difference in my life since I received this transfer.

Enrolled

access_time over 1 year ago

What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?

The biggest hardship I have faced in my life is when my child fell from a tree and broke his leg. This made me struggle financially in order to foot the hospital bills.

What is the happiest part of your day?

The happiest part of my day is in the morning when I wake up and find out that all my children are of good health.

What are you planning to spend your transfer on?

I am planning to spend my transfer on buying beddings for my children and to start a business.

What is the achievement you are proudest of?

The achievement am proud of is when I bought a goat through savings I got from selling beans I harvested from my farm.